Vellore
Vellore east district secretary and Arakkonam MLA S Ravi, who recommended names following the party high command’s decision to fill up vacancies and create new posts, is exuberant as the move has resulted in a resurgence among party cadre, especially as the local body polls are on the anvil.
Sources revealed that the Timiri, Wallajahpet, Arcot and Kaveripakkam panchayat unions were bifurcated, creating new PU secretaries and other functionaries. As a party insider said, “Filling up of all posts and creation of new ones in all party organisations has filled cadre and the new office-bearers with exhilaration as seen by their garlanding of party leaders statues.”
“Ravi, by opening the party office at Ranipet and creating a welfare fund for indigent party men, has filled grassroot-level workers with the hope that top brass still care for the grassroot worker,” said VS Boopal, familiar with the AIADMK affairs in Vellore district.
The east district move has irked Vellore west district cadre, who wonder what prevents district secretary and Commercial Taxes Minister KC Veeramani from doing the same as the high command has okayed it. However, sources close to the minister, said “he is awaiting the trifurcation of the district before acting”.
As Ranipet and Tirupattur are slated to be new districts, Veeramani will automatically be Tirupattur district secretary as he is a native of Jolarpet. Hence, Vellore will need a district secretary and a city secretary.
Sources revealed that Veeramani, citing the example of the DMK, suggested that former minister and district secretary VS Vijay (from the Mudaliar community) be made the city secretary similar to Vellore DMK MLA P Karthikeyan (also a Mudaliar) being made the city secretary and that the district secretary’s post be given to V Ramu, Vellore Central Cooperative Bank chairman), who is from the Naidu community, similar to Vellore DMK central district secretary and Anaicut MLA AP Nandakumar, who is also a Naidu.
But, the cadre wonder why Ramu should be given the post as he is already Gudiyattam panchayat union secretary.
“When there are deserving candidates why should the post be given to one who already is a bank chairman and a PU secretary?” said a party senior preferring anonymity. “With local body polls looming, it would be wise to fill up vacancies and create new posts in the west district if the party is to win the elections” is the common comment, but whether it has reached Veeramani’s ears is a big question.
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